ABSTRACT

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) drugs are used as immunosuppressive agents in various medical conditions including chronic rheumatic diseases. With this increasing use and longer follow-up periods of treatment, some unwanted events are emerging. These events also include autoimmune processes, ranging from asymptomatic immunologic alterations to life-threatening systemic autoimmune diseases. Anti-TNF-α induced systemic autoimmune/inflammatory diseases appear to respond to withdrawal of the corresponding drugs in most cases, but some cases require systemic immunosuppressive therapy. This review will discuss autoimmune/inflammatory diseases developing after anti-TNF-α therapy.